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toadletthethird · 2 months ago

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I wrote this oneshot some time ago, and due to the fact that I see more and more skeptunist in the feed (for which I couldn't be happier), I decided to share it. On the menu today: even more hand holding, attempts to outsmart each other in psychoanalysis and accidental confessions of attachment from people who say they never feel attached. So ahhh. Enjoy the show.

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The warm light of the desk lamp illuminated the notebook under his hand, casting long shadows across the scattered papers. Neat stacks from earlier in the evening had surrendered to the chaos of ongoing work, a testament to the hours spent hunched over the table. Worn pencils lay discarded, empty coffee cups adding to the accumulating clutter. But this evening felt different from the many others that had preceded it. This time, there were two of them.

"Isn't the dawn coming soon?"

"And yet you're still here. For what it's worth, I can be here too."

Sometimes they exchanged short remarks. Sometimes they were just silent. But it seemed it was better than being alone.

The opportunist put his elbows on a table, propping up his chin. His hair was slightly uncombed, as if he had run his fingers through it too often, and the shirt was buttoned up out of order—he looked strangely messy for someone who usually spends so much effort to look tidy. His eyes aimlessly stared at the papers nearby. And smile when he talked—it appeared here and there like an old habit, something completely natural, but he made no effort to keep it. It stayed as a shallow shadow in the corners of the mouth.

"It’s impolite to stare like that, you know."

"Did I?"

"Obviously. You always do. Better not squint so much—you have crow's feet already. And get yourself normal glasses." He waved his hand, visibly unhappy with the insistent way he put it. "I mean. I could make an appointment for you. I'm really beneficial."

He felt how wrong it sounded. And, even worse, it was a clear bait for Skeptic to cling to.

"Is everything alright?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"You look tired."

"It's night. How else do you want me to look?" He grinned like he was telling an obvious joke, but it was so out of place that it seemed even more artificial than usual. Both noticed it. He sighed and tilted his head lower in weariness.

Skeptic waited for a few seconds, planning to force him to add something else to the answer, but then, apparently from his own uncertainty, turned away back to his occupation. There was much to do. He could use a break from speculations too—at least one of them should be able to. But the sight of the opportunist suggested he was pondering something as gravely as the detective did. His gaze vacantly followed the movements on the paper. He wasn't reading it. Not even trying to. The opposite of how he used to cling to any clue around him in the next argument, always looking for new levers of pressure. There wasn’t a reason for him to stay now. And still, he was here.

"Hey, want a riddle?"

"Yes?"

"Can you hold my hand for a moment?"

Feeling his stare, the opportunist shrugged, "What I said. I mean, you can do that. Nothing difficult about it," he said as he threw out his arm.

"Why?"

"Don't overcomplicate it. You're here, I'm here, you can write with the other anyway. So, yes or no?"

Skeptic hesitated, probably trying to analyze the situation in these split seconds.

"It's a timed question. Just say no, and I'll leave."

He looked at him for a couple more seconds, trying to guess the intention, after which

He carefully placed his hand under his.

"I've noticed you avoided such contact. I assumed you don’t like it." His voice rose slightly in question. "Are you testing something out?"

"Yeah, well, sort of."

They both went silent, attentively looking at the point of connection. The warmth of the hand below felt unusual, but Opportunist could take it. It was a stable support. Dependable foundation. He tried to loosen up his tense fingers, but the sight of them touching veins on his backhand sent a fresh wave of unease through him. The way his wrist nervously froze didn't look much better. He only now realized how estranged he must appear. He wasn't just uncomfortable; he was shrinking, retreating into himself as if this simple physical contact posed a genuine threat. The strangeness of the situation somehow didn’t intervene with the unexpected gentleness of such a simple sign.

"Is it alright?"

Their eyes met. Furrowed brows compelled the vigilant expression he always had. A bit too strict. Too demanding of meaning. He always wanted to have more than he was given, in a way. They were similar in that. But he was also cautious. Even careful. Especially now.

"That's nothing."

Skeptic lowered his eyes once again. Opportunist's hands were always chilly and slightly clammy, as if it was a warning to everyone that he was a slippery type, someone with whom it should be unpleasant to cooperate from the start. He pushed these thoughts away. It would be wrong to judge from the first impression. Maybe, even from the ninth. Just to see if he would change or if this would be his last life, like a cat's. Skeptic gently stroked his knuckles with a thumb and instantly knew it grabbed his attention.

"Is it too much?"

"No, no. That's fine." His voice trembled for a second, but he hid it quickly.

Skeptic passed over his fingers. He couldn't help but compare it with his own. They were thin and pale against his tawny, rough skin, which was fitting for someone whose hands were ready to work. Someone who'd be ready to face cuts, splinters, and bruises if it was worth it. He wouldn't care enough to notice it, even more so to treat it properly, if not for the thought of how harsh it must feel now.

"You're up in the clouds again," He gave an archly half-smile. "What are you thinking about?"

"My hands are probably too hard."

"That's ridiculous. I wouldn't ask for it otherwise."

Skeptic gave him a quick, curious glance. Then he slowly brought his other hand up to his wrist, gently holding it by the forearm.

"I have a feeling this is what you want. An experiment for... self-reflection. Is it so?"

"Bingo, professor."It was as if he had tightened his grip for a second, still keeping the cheeky demeanor.

"It is an interesting phenomenon.” He leaned over with the interest of a gambling scientist who has discovered something incredibly new, automatically switching to his regular edifying voice. “You're quite tactile with others, but when shown a similar attitude, you seemed very distressed... You look scared. I wonder what the reason behind that is."

"No, I don't."

"Are you scared now?"

"No... I don't think I am."

Skeptic was terribly predictable. As much as the one with a plan must be. It always gave a little reassurance. Even if he were up to something, it would be easy to figure out, especially with the suspicion that was inherent in Opportunist. He knew that the second skeptic was given the opportunity to puzzle over his secrets; he would immediately drop everything—and that's exactly what happened now.

"I believe this is related due to some fundamental feature of the psyche, as it has moved to an unconscious level of reaction. Maybe it's from a core memory or repeated learned pattern." He looked up with a smile, "But I'm not an expert."

"You sure do sound professional."

"How can I not? Also, I believe it correlates directly to your habit of lying."

"I don't have a 'habit.'. Even if I do, it's a strategy. Moreover, to save us both when you keep getting into trouble."

"Don't get defensive so easily. I'm just stating the facts." His eyes sparkled with cruel curiosity. "This is an easy way to distance yourself from others in order to be protected from their influence. The truth provides a mechanism for real impact. You prefer to give false levers. So that no one can hurt you in the ways that matter. This gives you control over the situation—the feeling of it, at least. Am I digging right? I can see I am."

The opportunist's face twisted in discontent. The position of the arms also started to feel suffocating. He was no longer supporting but indifferently holding on, with his mind roving somewhere else. And his skin was harsh after all.

"...So you're avoiding any situation that would put you in a vulnerable position. Apparently, being touched is a clear representation of that. It can't be dodged. But only when you're not the one initiating it, I suppose."

Opportunists finally seized the pause. "Did you really just make that up?"

"No. I had time to think. Moving on, what is your goal here?"

"Huh?"

"You usually have a goal behind every action. I doubt you wanted the introspection that much. And it would be easier not to risk it with... this whole scenario. I generally don't like distractions. I know you're smarter than trying to flatter me with that—I'm not the affectionate type, obviously. What is it then?"

The opportunist started sorting through the options in his head. He could come up with some kind of plan that would be intriguing to figure out. Maybe it's a distraction. Or manipulation. Or some weird way to tell a secret. That would be an understandable reason. But thoughts were stumbling about about what he had just said, and about what answer would please him, and about his hands...

"I just wanted to see if it would feel nice." suddenly slipped out.

"Nice?"

He scowled again, clearly in disbelief. The opportunist felt his whole figure shrink, but it was too late to undo the words, to reclaim the lost ground. "It counts as a reason, right?" He couldn't help but nervously cling to his arm, seeking a small, desperate comfort.

He could practically feel Skeptic judging him, cataloging the pathetic misery of this entire poorly executed performance, as comfortable silence changed to heavy awaiting for his next move.

"Well... is it nice?"

"I don't know. It's... different?"

"I've noticed."

To be in his hold felt warm. Deceitfully welcoming. Opportunist knew better than to trust it, to fall into this fragile giveaway, but the warmth was there, a temporary haven, and he resolved to exploit it while he could. A sudden surge of confidence washed over him. He straightened slightly, his voice regaining its characteristic edge. "And what's your goal, huh? You're quite a go-getter yourself. And so much time into little old me."

"I'm... not sure." His hoarse voice betrayed a hint of vulnerability that the opportunist found both intriguing and unsettling.

"Must be fun to dissect me like some sort of experiment, right?"

He glanced away, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. "I'm not 'dissecting.'."

"C'mon, don't play coy. I'm not even against it, as long as it keeps you entertained. But it's kind of pointless, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

Opportunist sighed, a complacent weariness in his tone. "You think there are facades to people that you can brush off like dust, revealing some good core underneath. But there isn't such a thing as a core. We're all just a whirlwind of words trying to avoid being trapped." He bared his teeth, grinning and flinging away his hands. "What did you expect to hear? 'Ohhh, you're so right! Figured me all out! I am so thankful—now you can fix me!'"

He immediately winced at the caricature but didn't answer.

"What, wrong guess? Well, damn it. No hope for me, it seems. What do you even want then?"

Skeptic narrowed his eyes. "Why do you ask that?"

"Oh no-no, let's talk without questions on questions, shall we? All your 'What do you think? What do you really think? What do you really, really, really think?' I'm sick of your games. If there is a right answer, I fail to guess it, and you keep asking again and again and..." He stumbled, feeling how the line of the dialogue was heading not where he wanted it to. "I mean, I don't know what you want. I don’t know what to show you anymore. Do you even want anything?”

"Why would you try so hard for me?"

"Because we're a team," he drawled it out as something self-explanatory. "That's how collaborations work. And I appreciate our shared achievements. I would like it to stay that way."

He let these words sink in, then, with his voice slow and deliberate, began to speak. "I see. You don't want to be alone."

Opportunist recoiled. "I didn't say that. I said that I wanted to stay in my deserved advantageous position, which is given by our cooperation. And every team needs its contribution."

The skeptic studied his expression with a careful, almost clinical observation until his face brightened with realization.

"Got it."

"Got what?"

But he had already turned away, pretending to end the conversation. Opportunist leaned forward, snapping fingers to catch his attention.

"Hey, you better finish it."

A knowing smile played on the skeptic's lips. "You're scared I'll leave you because you're not as useful to me as before."

Opportunist froze. He didn't even know if it was the truth, but the nagging feeling in his throat gave him a clue. Still, he clearly wanted to see Skeptic’s reaction to his own discovery first before answering, but he seemed to express nothing but satisfaction with solving the puzzle.

"It all checks out. That's why you've been hanging around so much lately, looking worried, talking strangely... That's not a good reason for stress, though. I'm not going to."

The skeptic's smile, as he offered his hands, felt both disarming and strangely inviting. Perhaps without conscious thought, the opportunist reached out, accepting the gesture. The pulse in his wrist throbbed a frantic rhythm against the calmness of the skeptic’s steady hand.

"I think it's time I say something reassuring." There still was uncertainty in his gaze despite the seemingly confident appearance. He spoke a little stiffly, as if every word was difficult for him, but still continued to lead his train of thought. "Listen. I make opinions about people based on their actions. You don’t need to sugarcoat your worries. It’s normal that you need some acknowledgment from me... if I understood that correctly.”

“Maybe? Probably. Depends on what you mean.”

“The point is, I think well of you.” The skeptic continued, his voice gaining strength. “Many of your actions were wrong, and I will never defend them. But I can always explain them. Which means they were justified, by your false beliefs at least. And beliefs are not constant. I know you don't like my morals, but you're the one more reason to be sure of them. You're acting out of fear, not out of cruelty. And when you don't depend on false arguments, you don't pose much of a threat. I think you and I are very similar in this—I'm not without sin either. It's not your fault you're troubled, only the consequences of it. And I see that you behave differently.”

The opportunist smirked, a hint of bitterness coloring his expression. “But I'm still letting you down, am I not?”

“Sometimes. But I’m smarter than to go unprepared—shame on me if I won’t be ready for one of your tricks. And I can’t deny I got used to having you on my side. It would take me a long time to recover if you’d leave." He squeezed his hands slightly, showing how important the next words are to him. "You see, I believe it's worth looking through lies if it means finding at least one truth there. And it’s exciting to investigate. To know you more and more. I don’t think you are as bad as people paint you to be. Why would I believe them without checking first? Plus, it seems to me I have some responsibility for you, considering how attached you've become. Betrayal is not my style. As long as you don’t cut ties yourself, you can count on me. Was that the right thing to say?”

The skeptic’s face was lit up—he was clearly proud of the carefully constructed monologue, although a trace of hesitation was felt through the question. The genuine concern he put into this speech couldn’t flatter. It washed over Opportunist with a wave of triumph for making him admit that their anxieties were mutual and, at the same time, a subtle feeling of… acceptance? The reassurance he craved, subtly woven into his confession, settled deep within. He couldn't help but smile back, so he put back his playful demeanor, chasing off newly appeared hopes.

“A bit embarrassing, but in general—yes.”

“Can’t let me have even this one, can you?”

“Nope.”

#skeptunist #stp powerpoint #voice of the opportunist #voice of the skeptic #stp opportunist #stp skeptic #slay the princess #stp voices #stp fanfic #slay the princess fanfiction #quoquewriting

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flowersandmiel · 2 months ago

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And I pray that one day we’ll become more than this (Look at us, we already are) (13035 words) Chapter 7 is up! :D This one is Paranoid-centric and from his own Pov!

Also, chapter 1 & 2 have been edited/slightly rewritten to fit more my perception of the characters which I think is more accurate now than before! :D

Also, here's the summary:

After The Long Quiet and The Shifting Mound’s ascension to Godhood, The Voices wake up on a path in the woods, this time though, many things are different. The woods somehow feel much more welcoming, there is no Narrator to give them any cruel orders, but most importantly, the eleven of them are here, all in different bodies, though clearly shaped after the one of The Long Quiet. Strangely, they can also recall every single loop they've lived and died through. As they arrive to where they think the cabin should be, it isn’t the one they were expecting. It’s a chalet, and they inexplicably know there is no Princess waiting for them inside. Once inside, they hear the voice of the Shifting Mound, presenting their new home to them, and the new mortal lives that come with it. A chance to be more than what they were once shackled to be.

OR, one shots about the Voices after the end of the game, in a new world where they're no longer immortals or in danger.

#hes just having a mental breakdown/sensory overload the whole chapter #post-contruct AU #slay the princess #fanfiction #slay the princess fanfiction #stp voice of the paranoid #voice of the paranoid #stp voices #stp the voices #slay the princess voice of the paranoid #stp the paranoid #stp paranoid #flowersandmiel's stp fic

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impossiblycyberenthusiast · 5 months ago

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Now that chapter 3 is out, I’m going to start promoting To Be Whole Again here;

A classic post-game au, taking place with the voices and vessels after What Happens Next.

You like these designs? This what all of them look like :> more designs incoming too; Happy and Dragon won the poll.

#slay the princess #to be whole again #my fics #my writing #slay the princess fanfiction #stp

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yourlokalescholar · 1 year ago

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Is no one gonna write about the voices developing into their own people after getting their own bodies, helping each other survive and grow into multifaceted individuals? Fine, I’ll do it myself

#slay the princess #stp #stp spoilers #stp fanfic #slay the princess fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #almost all of the stp fics I’ve found for stp have been romance #which is FINE and good and makes sense considering the plot and a lot of them are really well written #but we need more found family and if I have to write it myself then so be it #like does no one else see the found family potential here?!

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murtvets · 4 months ago

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decided to kickstart 2025 with going back to writing fanfiction finally :) and why not share it on here

#writers on tumblr #fanfic #ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #ao3 #ao3 link #archive of our own #fanfic writer #fanfiction #fanfic writing #fanfic authors #ao3 author #slay the princess #stp #stp fanfic #text post

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xverzuszofficial · 21 days ago

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Chapter III - The Temptress - by XverzuszOfficial, for Dazelvel!

(FINALLY FINISHED!)

(So I got my friend @dazelvel into Slay the Princess aswell to the point where she is now head over heels for The Long Quiet, and has designed a self-insert/custom Princess for herself - and it got me in the headspace to write a custom route for her! I dubbed her The Temptress! Dazel if you come across this (which you undoubtedly will cause Imma share this to you as soon as Im finished with it: hiiiiiii :D))

[Follow instructions in square brackets after texts for the interactive experience!]

(CW for: - Described gore, mild suggestive themes)

Chapter III - "The Temptress"

The Narrator: You're on a path in the - .

Voice of the Smitten: You foul beasts, all of you! How dare you deny us our happy ending?!

The Narrator: Excuse me?

Voice of the Hero: He's being mad about last time.

Voice of the Smitten: We were just about to grasp the beginning of our beautiful life together, and you - you wretched, evil, dark hearted monsters - took it away from us! She trusted us wholely, and you stabbed her at the gates to freedom!

Voie of the Hero: The whole situation sounded fishy, don't you think? Or is your mind so hazed by your own desire for love that you can't see? No one just falls in love with you that easily. And especially after murdering us.

The Narrator: 'Murdering us' ? 'Stabbing her at the gates to freedom' - what are you two talking about?

Voice of the Hero: This isn't our first time back here.

The Narrator: Great, just what I feared ... (Sigh) How many times has it been?

Voice of the Hero: This is number three.

Voice of the Stubborn: What does it matter how many times we've been here before? If we are back, then she is back too - that means we've lost to her. We have to get to her now and settle this once and for all!

Voice of the Smitten: Yes, take us to her post haste! We have an appology to deliver!

Voice of the Stubborn: The hell we need to appologize for? Finally getting her and letting her kick the bucket on the cold, stone floor?

Voice of the Smitten: The brutal death of our dearly beloved by our wretched, cold hands! Oh, I can't even imagine the way she feels right now. The memories of our betrayal must still linger on within her mind...

Voice of the Hero: It appears to me that those two are going to be our main source of pain before she potentially stabs us again.

The Narrator: Alright, okay, I am not going to bother with the beginning of everything - it seems like you already get the jist of things, so let's get a move on.

---CHOICE---

[Explore] Everything feels ... off. [go to: 100]

[Explore] Stabbing her so close to freedom really did feel awful. [go to: 120]

[Silently proceed towards the cabbin.] [go to: 130]

---

[130] --- The Narrator: Your familiarity with the cabin is shifted. A sturdy, wooden bridge, cast above a rapid river is what leads you to the mountain that the cabin resides ontop of.

Voice of the Hero: You ... weren't kidding about the mountain part, were you?

The Narrator: Do I still need to let you know, after two cycles, that the things I describe to you are facts?

Voice of the Hero: (Sigh) Do we really have to climb all the way up? I can't see anything apart from the roof of the thing!

Voice of the Stubborn: And? A little bit of warming up never hurt anybody! And it's not like it'll hurt us! Let's get a move on!

Voice of the Smitten: If I could, I'd fly up those rocky cliffs in the blink of an eye to get her, but our love is worth all the pain those sharp rocks and - !

Voice of the Stubborn: Ugh, just cut it out already, will you?

Voice of the Smitten: How dare you! I was - !

Voice of the Stubborn: Shut up already! You don't - no - you REFUSE to get it, do you? No matter how much you try, no matter how many cycles we live through, no matter how many versions of 'oUR DeaRlY beLoVeD' we meet - it all ends the same! Either we beat her, or she beats us! I don't know how long it'll take for you to get it into your thick skull, but it's time for you to snap out of it!

Voice of the Hero: ... Holy shit ...

Voice of the Smitten: ... Your words, my friend, hurt worse than anything she could've ever done to us. Why must you dismiss my feelings for her like that?

Voice of the Stubborn: Oh you'll live, let's just get this done with already!

The Narrator: Okay, your mind is becoming a lot more heated and cluttered by now and I am starting to get scared with how easily you'll be able to get to a rational decision, so just please hurry up!

---CHOICE---

[Climb up the mountain to the cabin.] [go to 131]

---

[120] --- Voice of the Smitten: Yes, and now is the perfect time to show our deepest regrets to her. Maybe, just maybe, she still finds it within her heart to forgive us, and move on from our disastorous mistake!

Voice of the Hero: I can sort of get behind that. Imagine how we would've felt if we got stabbed in the back right as our hand was on the door.

The Narrator: If the worst monster you've ever seen in your entire life would pass by next to you and you had to kill it - would you feel bad?

Voice of the Hero: Depends.

The Narrator: Well it shouldn't 'depend' in this situation. She's a murderous, world destroying monster who you've already killed once! In this situation tho, the monster has already ended you - twice - before you could've gotten rid of her completely.

Voice of the Stubborn: Are you going to give us another one of your lazy, badly written metaphors or are you going to let us go now?

The Narrator: I'll keep them to myself then.

---CHOICE---

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] Everything feels ... off. [go to: 100]

[Silently proceed towards the cabin.] [go to: 130]

---

[100] --- Voice of the Hero: Yeah ... it's almost like the whole forest was burned up. And I can't see a damn thing either.

Voice of the Stubborn: The scary aesthetic never stopped us before, because we keep on persevering! Just push through it and get this done!

Voice of the Smitten: Not even a chance to pick a rose for her. Oh, the beauty you have ripped us away from...

The Narrator: As you stumble your way across the path, blinded by darkness and holding onto the charcoal trees for support, your foot lands right before something that sends an icy chill up your spine. Your foot touches something sharp and metallic.

Voice of the Hero: What is this thing? A beartrap?

Voice of the Stubborn: There isn't just one either, they are scattered all over the place. They're even hung up on the trees. Looks like the lady doesn't want us running into her anytime soon.

Voice of the Smitten: Or perhaps, she's keeping herself safe, and trusts us to find our way through this maze of traps, so that none may get to her but us!

---CHOICE---

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] Stabbing her so close to freedom really did feel awful. [go to: 120]

[Silently proceed towards the cabin.] [go to: 130]

---

[131] --- The Narrator: You begin your ascent up the mountain, following a dangerous, narrow path up the first couple of miles, which slowly become narrower and narrower. Eventually, you find no more path to lay your foot on, and you are forced to scale the mountainside. Your hands and claws, digging into the sharp edges of rocks and cliffs, pull you upwards, as you feel every muscle within your body both aching and burning in pain. It is an agonizing, yet rewarding feeling climb, as every successful push, every successful pull, and every successful step feels like an achievement before you realize, you cannot see the ground anymore.

Voice of the Stubborn: Yes! This is pure, unfiltered ecstassy right here! I can feel every fibre within us pushing its limits! This is what living feels like! This is the taste of victory!

Voice of the Hero: That's ... quite the way up ... (Sigh) Don't get dizzy. Just don't get dizzy. Don't get dizzy ...

The Narrator: You're doing just fine, you are almost at the top.

Voice of the Stubborn: Come on boys, just a little more!

---CHOICE---

[Push your way up the mountain.] [go to: 132]

---

[132] --- The Narrator: You finally make it up to the cabin, entering its iron gates and stepping inside. The confines of the cabin smell of fragrance and elegance, but - wether because of your exhausted mind, or your past cycles - the beauty of it all strikes you as faux. The ground is covered in the patles of roses, and a red capet leads you down to the basement. The only furniture of note is a marble table with golden edges. Perched on it is the pristine blade you've learned how to wield.

Voice of the Hero: Suffering through all of that and being met with this is actually really, really nice!

Voice of the Smitten: She laid out all of this for us. To see our strength. To see if we can be gifted her forgiveness. We made it up here - .

Voice of the Stubborn: What did I say about snapping out of it? Keep your head in the game. And you, the one who describes stuff, don't bother with any other option - we are taking the blade!

The Narrator: Well I was hoping you would do that in the first place so you are just helping me save ink.

---CHOICE---

[Explore] The carpet just leads to a mirror. [go to: 140]

[Head down to the basement.] [go to: 141]

---

[140] --- Voice of the Hero: The mirror is back again, yeah.

Voice of the Smitten: Perhaps to let us take a final look at ourselves and see if our face is full of shame and desire to be forgiven, or to make sure we don't disappoint her with our looks.

Voice of the Stubborn: Who cares? Just kick it away already and get going!

---CHOICE---

[Head down to the basement.] [go to: 141]

---

[141] --- The Narrator: You walk up to the stone arch entrance of the basement and stop right before the stairs. Do you really think there's a mirror there?

Voice of the Hero: Yeah, it's all grimey and gross though. Maybe we could wipe it clean?

The Narrator: I can't even begin to fathom what those past cycles must've done to you to make you start seeing things, but right now is not the time!

Voice of the Smitten: One last chance before our fate with our beloved is decided.

Voice of the Stubborn: I will, actually, end you if you keep this up. Just kick it down the stairs and get moving!

---CHOICE---

[Wipe the mirror clean.] [go to 143]

[Kick the mirror down the basement.] [go to 144]

---

[144] --- The Narrator: You raise your foot above your waist, bending your knee upwards as you attempt to kick away whatever obstacle was projected ahead of you by your mind, but your foot doesn't connect with anything. Instead, you fall forwards, the velocity of your kick carrying your unbalanced body ontop of the hard, stone stairs, tumbling down to the bottom. Each bump, each flip, each hit feels like something bruises or bends within you.

Voice of the Hero: Nice going on the warpath.

The Princess: "I see you've made quite the journey down my steps, my pretty little bird."

The Narrator: Her voice, coated in a layer of gentleness and passion, graces your ears.

Voice of the Smitten: Just her voice alone is enough to ease all my pains...

---CHOICE---

[Face the Princess] [go to 150]

---

[143] --- The Narrator: You reach forward and extend your hand outwards into the air.

Voice of the Hero: Why am I not surprised?

The Narrator: You descend from the top of the stairs, the rose patels and red carpetting guiding you along and covering your feet from the cold marble steps. Your descent is lit by candles, hung up from above and dripping wax onto golden trays. The air downstairs creeps up, carrying warmth and damptness, like a humid day. If the Princess really lives here, slaying her might be doing her a favour! Her voice, coated in a layer of gentleness and passion, graces your ears as it carries up the stairs.

The Princess: "My pretty little bird, I can hear your feet thumping against my steps, and it makes me feel warm to know you've returned to me."

Voice of the Hero: I ... I don't know how to feel about this. She sounds ... too good to be true.

Voice of the Smitten: Our argous journey up this mountain was not in vain, my friend, you see. She missed us dearly!

---

[150] --- The Narrator: As you raise your head, your eyes meet the Princess' across the room. Your eyes glide along her long hair covering her neck and shoulders, and seemingly flowing into her giant red dress, with her arm still in a shackled chain that you can't quite make out where it goes.

Voice of the Smitten: She is absolute beauty herself! Just looking at her is enough to make me want to jump out of this form and leave you four horrible beings to your lonesomes without her!

Voice of the Hero: I ... woah ...

Voice of the Stubborn: Now ain't that a dress too big? It's like she thinks that by creating a silken barrier around herself, she can escape our confrontation! I wouldn't mind staining it, if you catch my drift.

The Princess: "Welcome, my pretty little bird! I hope your journey wasn't so grueling. Please, come and rest with me, you look beaten."

---CHOICE---

[Explore] "Hold on, this is going a bit too fast!" [go to: 160]

[Explore] "I'd rather have you come and rest with me instead." [go to: 161]

[Explore] [Make bird noises.] [go to: 162]

[Explore] Fellas, I don't know what to do - [go to: 163]

[Approach the Princess.] [go to: 164]

[Slay the Princess.] [go to: 170]

---

[160] --- The Princess: "Oh, is it? Why do you think so? Is it perhaps the guilt you feel from last time, keeping you away from me? When you stabbed me in the back before our happy ending? Or perhaps the time before that, where you helped me escape, and how that felt? My pretty little bird, your heart aches so badly from the past that's already so far behind us. Just let it go already, would you? Let go of those past mistakes and embrace the me in the now."

Voice of the Smitten: So she has forgiven us! Thank you, my love! If you can forgive me wholeheartedly, I can forgive myself, too!

Voice of the Hero: Does that mean you also forgive us, or are we still the 'wretched, evil, horrible monstrocities' like you said?

Voice of the Smitten: My heart is maybe patched for you, my heroic friend, but you, bloodthirsty hound, get no such treatment!

Voice of the Stubborn: Like I give a shit about your forgiveness.

---CHOICE---

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "I'd rather have you come and rest with me instead." [go to: 161]

(if you haven't ready already) [Explore] [Make bird noises.] [go to: 162]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] Fellas, I don't know what to do - [go to: 163]

[Approach the Princess.] [go to: 164]

[Slay the Princess.] [go to: 170]

---

[161] --- The Princess: [Chuckling] "Oh you would absolutely love that, wouldn't you? Feel me lay down on your feathery body and allow you to take control? But sadly, I'd have to say no to your offer. My heart might have forgiven you, and it may have forgotten your past mistakes, but my mind hasn't."

The Narrator: She raises a hand to her mouth, covering it as she laughs at your suggestion at closing the distance between you two.

Voice of the Hero: That's reasonable, I suppose? We did kill her, and if I look at it through her lens, then yeah - I wouldn't want to approach someone who I know has backstabbed me once already.

Voice of the Stubborn: Oh, I see. If she doesn't want to come to us, then we have to go to her. Fine by me. I'll show her what's good.

---CHOICE---

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "Hold on, this is going a bit too fast!" [go to: 160]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] [Make bird noises.] [go to: 162]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] Fellas, I don't know what to do - [go to: 163]

[Approach the Princess.] [go to: 164]

[Slay the Princess.] [go to: 170]

---

[162] --- The Narrator: What?

Voice of the Hero: Huh?

Voice of the Stubborn: THIS IS HUMILIATING!

Voice of the Smitten: Hear our song, my beloved! Our heart reeks of sorrow, and so our song is sad, but your love can make it all happy again!

The Princess: [Happy chuckle] "You really are my pretty little bird, aren't you? Singing out your little heart to me like that makes me just want you more. Please come back to me, pretty little bird."

Voice of the Hero: Can we make a pact to never, NEVER do that again?

Voice of the Stubborn: I second this.

The Narrator: I agree. Let's forget this has ever happened.

---CHOICE---

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "Hold on, this is going a bit too fast!" [go to: 160]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "I'd rather have you come and rest with me instead." [go to: 161]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] Fellas, I don't know what to do - [go to: 163]

[Approach the Princess.] [go to: 164]

[Slay the Princess.] [go to: 170]

---

[163] --- The Narrator: In that case, here's a good idea: actually end her! You don't have to listen to any of the vaguely seductive nonsense she's spewing to try and get to you. Hell, it's making me uncomfortable with how she's calling you her "pretty little bird".

Voice of the Hero: I guess it felt kind of cute at first when she said it, but now I think about it and just feel like - "no".

Voice of the Smitten: It is simply a cute nickname she has given us! Why must you all dismiss her attempts?

Voice of the Stubborn: It's humiliating and debilitating. I don't like being babied like this. It's like she sees us as nothing but a pet she could stuff into a cage.

Voice of the Smitten: If being in a cage is what it takes to make both of us happy, then we might aswell crawl to her!

Voice of the Hero: What?! No! Absolutely no! Just, no!

The Narrator: Oh my goodness this is actually going to go horribly wrong. Quick, pick a decision and do it now!

---CHOICE---

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "Hold on, this is going a bit too fast!" [go to: 160]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "I'd rather have you come and rest with me instead." [go to: 161]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] [Make bird noises.] [go to: 162]

[Approach the Princess.] [go to: 164]

[Slay the Princess.] [go to: 170]

---

[164] --- The Narrator: You step forward, your eyes still on her form as she also moves in. She ... shouldn't be able to move around this much.

Voice of the Hero: Do you know how long her chain is suppsoed to be?

The Narrator: Yes, it should be tying her to the basement's far wall, but she's currently face to face with you and you only walked a couple of steps away from the basement entrance.

Voice of the Stubborn: Maybe she already broke free, she's just not telling us.

The Narrator: There's no way. She's bound to the wall. End of story.

The Princess: "There we go. And now that you are back with me, I've gotta say ... I missed you so, so much, my pretty little bird."

---CHOICE---

[Explore] "Please stop calling me that" [go to: 600]

[Explore] "You are getting far too close to my liking. Are you still chained up?" [go to: 610]

"I missed you too." [go to: 620]

[Explore] "Can I still just pull you out of those chains, or do I have to cut you out again like the time before that?" [go to: 630]

[Explore] "You are acting far too nice considering what I did last time. Wouldn't you be scared that I'll do it again?" [go to: 640]

[Save the Princess] [go to: 700]

[Slay the Princess] [go to: 170]

---

[620] --- The Narrator: The Princes then leans in, caressing your face as she guides it down towards hers in a ... I am not - I refuse to describe this to you!

Voice of the Hero: What? What is it?

Voice of the Stubborn: I think he's jealous that she's kissing us right now.

Voice of the Smitten: As expected from a dastardly, unforgiving villain such as the Narrator himself! He can't simply process the passion, the emotions, the feelings that carry into a deep kiss as ours right now - !

The Narrator: However, your perfect little smooching time is interrupted by the feeling of your blade slipping out of your hand.

Voice of the Stubborn: There ... is no ... way.

The Narrator: She shoves you away, saliva leaving your mouth as your lips part from hers rapidly. Your blade is now in her grasp, and you have fallen on the floor.

The Princess: "I am sorry, but like I said, just because my heart has forgiven you and your mistakes, my mind hasn't. I am so, so sorry for what's going to come next, my pretty little bird - but if backstabbing is all you know, then it is all you will get!"

---PROCEED TO SAME CHOICES AS AT: 170---

---

[700] --- The Narrator: Yeah? Well how are you going to do that?

Voice of the Smitten: Easily! We'll take her hand and guide her out, like true gentlemen!

The Narrator: Well I am not going to describe it to you then, and since I only describe facts, then it doesn't happen! Too bad!

Voice of the Smitten: Hey.

Voice of the Smitten: Yes, you brute?

Voice of the Stubborn: Make it count.

The Narrator: Stop it! What are you doing? Get your hands off of me you morron!

Voice of the Smitten: This cursed blade is of no use to us! It's simply decoration! Or worse, an ill temptation! Cast it into the shadowey corners! Away with you!

The Princess: "I am so glad you're finally tossing that knife away from us. You look way better without it."

Voice of the Hero: I guess your plans for "not describing anything" to us really went well, didn't it?

The Narrator: [Groan] If you want to doom all of us, then fine. Have it your way, you lovebird maniacs. You take The Princess' hand and gently guide her to the basement stairs. Her, dragging her long, red dress behind herself as she follows you excitedly. And oh damn, no door either to lock you two morons in there either! How peachy for me and all of humanity! You finally pass the final step of the stairs, and end up on the ground floor of the cabin.

The Princess: "Wait ... before we get out of here, I wanted to give something to you. I ... really didn't think it would just happen so easily. I really thought that you're going to pull a fast one on me back there and stab me in the back once again. But I'm glad you didn't. So, take this as a thank you, my gratitude!"

The Narrator: And then, like she was back in her younger, less eldritch, less disgusting days, she raises on her tippy-toes, and kisses your cheek... Ew.

Voice of the Hero: Aw!

Voice of the Smitten: Your jealousy shows that you have never felt the true warmth of a pair of lips coliding with yours, laying on your face. Perhaps you could partake in our feeling, and finally, just for one moment, allow yourself to feel how kind she is.

The Narrator: Just shut up, okay? I need to open this bottle of gin.

The Princess: "Now, come on! The gate is open for us!"

The Narrator: She eagerly pushes you forward, getting the two of you closer and closer to the edge of the cabin's gate before she leaps into your arms, pushing both of you off the same cliff you climbed not so long ago......

Voice of the Stubborn: Hey! Don't just dip out on us! We're going to die if you don't give us any options on what happens next!

Voice of the Hero: You know she's been calling us her "pretty little bird" this whole time, right? We are one, we could fly out of here ... so why the hell we never did that before?!

The Princess: "Thank you! Thank you so much! I - I can't describe how finally being with you feels! It's .... colder than I expected. But it's probably just the wind! Fly, my pretty little bird! Fly! ......"

[But you do not get the chance to fly away with her, nor do you get the chance to respond. Something has taken her and left something in her place instead.]

[THE END - 6/6 - "Lovebirds" - Soar away with your love in your arms.]

(Don't like this ending? Go back to previous choices and see what you end up with!)

---

[630] --- The Princess: "Don't worry about the chains. They are long gone. The only thing keeping me down here is my want to keep waiting for you."

The Narrator: She isn't lying, as she raises her wrist, pulling the chains upwards and pulling with her other hand, piling and piling up more and more iron into her hand, before she reached a broken knot.

Voice of the Hero: Atleast she's honest.

---CHOICE---

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "Please stop calling me that" [go to: 600]

"I missed you too." [go to: 620]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "You are acting far too nice considering what I did last time. Wouldn't you be scared that I'll do it again?" [go to: 640]

[Save the Princess] [go to: 700]

[Slay the Princess] [go to: 170]

---

[600] --- The Princess: [Giggling] "Why? It's just a silly little nickname. It's cute, isn't it? Calling someone who clearly towers over in both height and strength something so cute?"

Voice of the Hero: NNNNNo. It's weird, I don't like it.

Voice of the Stubborn: It's embarassing.

Voice of the Smitten: Well -

The Narrator: I am vetoing whatever you were going to say.

---CHOICE---

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "You are getting far too close to my liking. Are you still chained up?" [go to: 610]

"I missed you too." [go to: 620]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "Can I still just pull you out of those chains, or do I have to cut you out again like the time before that?" [go to: 630]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "You are acting far too nice considering what I did last time. Wouldn't you be scared that I'll do it again?" [go to: 640]

[Save the Princess] [go to: 700]

[Slay the Princess] [go to: 170]

---

[640] --- The Princess: "Oh, you are still hung up on the past, aren't you? Can I not change since then? Do we have to keep this cycle going? I'd rather not. Let's just be happy together, you and me - no bad past to think back to."

The Narrator: And by that she means letting her escape into the world and destroy everything.

Voice of the Smitten: Oh please, she's just telling us that we shouldn't be eating away at ourselves by thinking of our past actions. It's the past! It's gone! If she can move past it and see us for who we are in the current moment - then she deserves our honest love back!

Voice of the Hero: It does feel kind of reassuring that she actually doesn't want any bad blood between us. Maybe she did forgive and forget.

---CHOICE---

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "Please stop calling me that" [go to: 600]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "You are getting far too close to my liking. Are you still chained up?" [go to: 610]

"I missed you too." [go to: 620]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "Can I still just pull you out of those chains, or do I have to cut you out again like the time before that?" [go to: 630]

[Save the Princess] [go to: 700]

[Slay the Princess] [go to: 170]

---

[610] --- The Princess: "Oh? These rusty things? No, they have nothing over me now. The only thing that kept me here was the thought that, one day, you'll come back to me, my pretty little bird. And look at you, right in front of me, wielding the same blade you cut into my back with - but now holding it not to hurt me, but to protect me."

Voice of the Hero: Atleast she's honest.

---CHOICE---

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "Please stop calling me that" [go to: 600]

"I missed you too." [go to: 620]

(if you haven't read already) [Explore] "You are acting far too nice considering what I did last time. Wouldn't you be scared that I'll do it again?" [go to: 640]

[Save the Princess] [go to: 700]

[Slay the Princess] [go to: 170]

---

[170] --- The Narrator: You grip onto the blade, springing forwards, your eyes locking with hers, as her face shifts from an inviting, seductive smile, into a look of disbelief and anger.

The Princess: "Are you serious?!"

The Narrator: Before you can do so much as lunge yourself at her, she whips her chained arm around, hitting you right in the face with its thick, heavy, iron knots. You are sent onto the floor, your teeth barely clinging onto the gums of your mouth where she had hit you, and your jaw feeling fractured.

Voice of the Hero: Why?! Why does it have to hurt so bad every single time?!

Voice of the Stubborn: Pfft, who needs teeth? We have the blade, we have the claws, we have the hands, the feet, to do everything to finish the job! And now, we have a new reason to hit her back! And now, you lovesick freak, can see that she does not love us! This is how it should've gone since the beginning!

Voice of the Smitten: I don't believe you! I refuse to! There can still be a way to make things right! She said - she said she's forgiven us! We have to appeal to her heart!

The Narrator: That's going to be difficult with how little teeth you'll probably have left by the end.

The Princess: "You knew I wanted to leave! And you knew I wanted to leave with only you! It was all that I've ever wanted, and it's still all that I want now! Why must you keep hurting me?! Why must you keep trying to fight?! Just be happy together with me, please!"

---CHOICE---

[Stand back up and keep fighting.] [go to: 172]

[Stand up and drop the blade.] [go to: 180]

[Stay on the ground and say nothing.] [go to: 190]

---

[172] --- The Narrator: But you don't let neither the pain nor her words get to you as you rise back up to you feet, pushing yourself up and standing in front of her. Your vision is hazed, however; - the whip from the chain seemingly also having damaged one of your eyes.

The Princess: "You are forcing me to do this! I love you, you know I do! Just stop fighting me already and love me back!"

Voice of the Hero: That's hard to believe when we have a handful of teeth missing because of her.

Voice of the Smitten: She isn't lying! She loves us! I can feel it, you just have to let go of your skepticism and see her for who she is! Accept her!

The Narrator: But you push the thought of forgivness aside, raising the blade once more and jumping her. Your blade sinks deep into her shoulder, causing her to scream out in pain. But in return comes her fist, blowing your face away from her view and knocking you off of her. You feel your neck strain from the power of the impact.

The Princess: "I'll beat it into you if I have to!"

The Narrator: She then begins the humiliating process of whipping your back with her chain, each blow either dislocating or breaking a tiny piece of cartilige in your spine, unfathomable pain spreading across your back, leaving you not a single second to even register what is being done to you.

Voice of the Smitten: This is what you deserve! Our punishments weren't enough yet it seems. We'll learn to love her now!

Voice of the Stubborn: You say one more word from now on and I will break your neck.

The Narrator: The pain becomes too much for your mind to comprehend. You slip into a numb, mindless state of confusion, agony, and silence. You are unresponsive, but you are not dead. Blood pools onto the marble floor of the basement underneath you. Your spine is broken in so many places, it would be impossible to count all the fractured bits. The Princess grabs your unresponsive body, dragging you up the stairs you came down from, and taking you out through the cabin's door.

Voice of the Hero: How can she do that? She wasn't able to leave the cabin before.

Voice of the Stubborn: She needs us to escape, so she's parading our corpse around as her key to salvation.

The Narrator: The Princess steps outside the cabin, facing out into the wast emptiness before her ontop of the mountain before looking down at you.......

Voice of the Hero: ... Yeah?

Voice of the Smitten: He's gone. Quick, pull whatever strength we have left together and grab her hand! At least let us have this one final moment before we depart!

The Princess: "We could've left so easily together, see?! Why did you make me do this?! ... But, I suppose it doesn't matter now. I am finally outside, and with you. But I - I didn't want it to be like this. I love you still ... It's so cold without you, all the time ......"

[But you do not get the chance to take her hand, nor do you get the chance to respond. Something has taken her and left something in her place instead.]

[THE END - Ending 1/? : "An Abusive Relationship" - Challenge the strength of your love's desires.]

[Don't like this ending? Go back to previous choices and see what you find!]

---

[180] --- The Narrator: (Sigh) Damn it. As you stand back up, your grip loosens around the blade, the weapon dropping loudly onto the floor as you and the Princess lock eyes with eachother. Her face seems to show regret.

The Princess: "I-I see that finally knocked some sense into you, it seems... [Sob] Why does it always have to be like this? Why must we hurt eachother to love eachother? WHY?! Is this fun for you? Because it's not for me!"

Voice of the Hero: She's right. Do we really need to keep this going? Constantly murdering eachother over and over again?

The Narrator: Only until you slay her for the final time.

Voice of the Stubborn: And when is that? When is the "final time"? Do you have any idea how long this is goin to take us? You're the one who seems to know every single thing around here, you just refuse to tell us anything.

The Narrator: I have a duty to keep information as scarce for you as possible. Giving away more and more information will just ruin your chances at keeping a clear mind of your objective. The more I talk, the more you know, the more you question things. I don't like questions, I like actions. My life, my world depends on you being uninformed enough to make a decision right then and there, no thoughts.

Voice of the Stubborn: So you tricked us into being nothing more than a puppet so that you can save yourself.

Voice of the Smitten: I've told you before! He's a wretched, lying monster who wants to keep us locked into this violent cycle with our beloved, only to save himself! He needs us so that he'll live - we are nothing but a tool!

Voice of the Hero: I just never liked you thinking that we were always dumb or stupid or delusional.

The Narrator: Fine! You want to see me take action? Fine then. You kick The Princess away from you and scoop the blade back up from the floor.

Voice of the Hero: No! No you are not doing this again!

Voice of the Stubborn: Again?

Voice of the Hero: Yes! We tried to save her the first cycle and he just took over our body and got us killed!

Voice of the Stubborn: I hate cheaters. Hey, help me get a good grip on him. Don't let him move an inch.

The Narrator: Get your wretched hands off of me you two!

Voice of the Smitten: He's restrained, we have to act now. Quick, before it's too late! Do what's right for us!

---CHOICE---

[Warn her.] [go to: 400]

[Slay her.] [go to: 500]

---

[400] --- The Princess: "What? I- Is this not you doing this again? Is something coming over you? I want to believe that but I can't trust you. I - "

Voice of the Stubborn: Damn it!

The Narrator: NO - ! [Groan] But ... before I could take control and let you finish this once and for all and save everyone in the world INCLUDING yourself - you swiftly swipe the blade away and slump forwards, your weapon darting across the marble floor and crashing into the wall with a clang.

Voice of the Hero: Phew ... That was way too close.

The Narrator: Did you do that?

Voice of the Hero: It's not just you who knows how to control him.

Voice of the Smitten: Consider your plans foiled, villain! The truth of our desires persevere, while your selfish desires for self-preservation fails. I hope it sinks deep into your heart, you filthy thing!

The Narrator: ... What's done is done. I can't do anything to stop her now. Whatever. The Princess, gasping at the sight of you flicking the blade away, rushes to aid you back up on you feet.

The Princess: "You - you meant it! I am so sorry! I'm so sorry! I hit you so hard while this entire time, this hasn't been you. It's somethign else controlling you. But now that's gone, right? You are you again."

The Narrator: She clutches your hand with hers, looking into your eyes with genuine concern.

Voice of the Smitten: We have an opportunity! Quick, kiss her! Prove her that our love was no mere illusion! Prove to her that we are ourself!

---CHOICE---

[Kiss her.] [go to: 510]

[Hug her.] [go to: 520]

---

[500] --- Voice of the Hero: Damn it!

The Narrator: You ignore The Princess' yelp in pain, quickly dashing towards her staggerng form, and driving your blade into her neck, blood flowing out in a waterfall as it pierces and cuts into her arteries. Finally.

The Princess: " ... I see ... Okay ... I see how it is ... "

Voice of the Smitten: No! No! This can't be! Why would you let him escape, you fools?

The Narrator: It was foolish enough to think that there was ever a way where you can rescue her! This isn't about rescuing some helpless captive, or the love of your life, or an equal - NO - this was about saving the world, and the price you all would've paid........

Voice of the Stubborn: .... What? Speak up!

Voice of the Hero: He's gone, again.

The Princess: "If this is how we are meant to be then, fine ... you win, I guess ... ... Do you always have to be so cold?"

[But you do not get the chance to respond, nor will you ever. Something has taken her and left something in her place instead.]

[THE END - Ending 3/? : "A Rightful Cause" - Don't let your inner voices keep you away from your destiny.]

(Don't like this ending? Go back to previous choices and see what you end up with!)

---

[520] --- The Narrator: Eugh ... You reach forwards and wrap your arms around The Princess, the two of you embracing eachother warmly after fighting eachother, both of your bodies bruised and beaten - I hate you, I hate you all and I hate that you are making me describe this!

Voice of the Hero: Come on, we could've asked you to describe far worse things! This is tame.

Voice of the Smitten: Her embrace is like being swallowed by the graceful ocean itself. The calmest thing in the world. Pure bliss!

Voice of the Stubborn: Yeah yeah, it's nice ... can we get out now?

The Princess: "Thank you, I - .. no .. we needed that. It's so good to know that no one's trying to backstab me this time. Thank you! ... Quick, let's get out of here!"

[proceed to: 511!]

---

[510] --- The Narrator: You hold me down while I'm trying to save all of you and myself and my world, and now you force me to describe this?! What kind of torture is this?!

Voice of the Hero: ... Well?

Voice of the Smitten: Narrator, we choose to, finally, smooch our beloved!

The Narrator: [Sigh] You hold The Princess' cheek, lifting it up slightly and you kiss her, the two of you sharing this selfish, idiotic, and stupid moment - but atleast it's the two of you, together.... Bleghh...

Voice of the Hero: That wasn't so hard now, was it?

The Narrator: I hate you all. I hate all of you so, so much.

The Princess: "M-My ... I guess, that's a way to prove that it is you now, huh? ... That felt nice. Thank you. We've gotta get out of here before either of us collapses, or gets any other bad ideas."

---

[511] --- The Narrator: You and The Princess, grasping eachother's hands together, rush up the carpet covered marble stairs, rushing to doom the world.

Voice of the Stubborn: I'm just happy I finally got to get some payback on our real enemy.

Voice of the Smitten: You have finally turned yourself around and saw what was really worth fighting for! Not for some vague idea of a world ending, but for a new one starting! Our world! With her!

Voice of the Hero: I doubt the world will end, actually. From what I saw, we are both pretty easily killable. We don't seem to be able to really hurt anything but eachother - and even then - we don't want to.

The Narrator: I can't believe I really thought I could trust you four. I am ... so stupid. But it doesn't matter anymore, does it? I can nag all I want. The world is about to end, isn't it? I have all the right to be upset!

Voice of the Stubborn: Just cheer up, will you? It's over. You can finally relax at least after this.

The Narrator: And once you and The Princess reach the top of the marble stairs, the two of you rush out the metal gate that once lead you inside, returning to......

Voice of the Hero: ... To what? Are you going to finish?

Voice of the Stubborn: He's gone. Finally.

Voice of the Smitten: Well, fellas, we did it! Our bickering can finally be put to the grave along with that horrid traitor! Our beloved and us are finally together, just like how it was told by the stars!

The Princess: "It's been so long since I came out here. It felt like an eternity down there without you. But we are now here, together ... even if it's so cold ...... "

[But you do not get the chance to leave with her, nor do you get the chance to respond. Something has taken her and left something in her place instead.]

[THE END - 2/? - "Self-Control" - Cut the strings tying you to your "destiny".]

(Don't like this ending? Go back to previous choices and see what you end up with!)

---

[190] --- The Narrator: The whiplash from both the heavy chain and your head hitting the ground seem to knock out your senses, making you plant your bleeding and bruised face onto the marble floor. It feels cooling, allowing you a moment of peace before you feel the Princess rip your blade out from your limp hand.

The Princess: "I just want us to be happy!"

The Narrator: She raises your blade, ready to strike.

Voice of the Stubborn: Roll already! Roll anywhere that isn't right beneath her!

The Princess: "NO!"

The Narrator: As she sees you trying to roll away, she grabs your arm and pins it down. You are now laying on your back. As you look up, you see her face, tears and ruined mascara flowing down her cheeks as she raises the blade above you.

Voice of the Hero: She doesn't behave like this normally. This isn't like how she was in the first cycle.

Voice of the Stubborn: I am just hoping her technique is as bad as back then. We might still have a chance at pushing through this then.

Voice of the Smitten: My love, look at what they made you do. I embrace whatever death you cast upon me. If it means I'll be able to see you on the other side, I'll wait for you forever.

---CHOICE---

[Give up and let her finish you off.] [go to: 200]

[Catch the blade with your hand.] [go to: 210]

[Reach out to her.] [go to: 300]

---

[300] --- The Narrator: But before she could dig the blade into your chest, your arm weakly reaches out to her. Your hand caresses her face, wiping away the ruined mascara on her face, which now shows regret and concern.

The Princess: "Y-You know I don't want to do this, right? I don't want .. this .. to keep going. I want to be happy with you, together - but you just have a side to you that you can't let go of. It makes you violent, it hurts me ... I don't want to kill you."

Voice of the Hero: I don't want it to continue either. It's all the same. She realises that it isn't us, we show her that we've changed, and then we stab her in the back. Over, and over again. It's just ... sad.

Voice of the Stubborn: But that sadness is a force driving us forwards!

Voice of the Hero: That's a very negative way of looking at things. Maybe you could just, I don't know, let it go?

Voice of the Stubborn: ...

The Narrator: You know why all of you are here, little voice.

Voice of the Stubborn: Don't call me "little".

The Narrator: Your body rises up, The Princess' weight shifting backwards as she allows you to sit. You then take the blade from her hand and - t-toss it away? What? No no no - that's not - WHY?! She is right in front of you! What on Earth are you doing?!

Voice of the Stubborn: I guess, I let it go? Pushing on and on without any reason besides keeping your emotions at bay doesn't really sit well with me. Or atleast, not anymore. I'm done, with you, with all of you, and all of this. Let's just get this done with already. I ... I'll need to think.

Voice of the Hero: Are you being serious?

Voice of the Stubborn: When was I not?

The Princess: "Are you ... being serious? You ... you haven't said much this entire time. Are you really willing to put that side behind? Really?"

---CHOICE---

[Explore] "I promise." [go to: 310]

[Explore] "I don't know, but I know that my mind is clear looking at you." [go to: 320]

[Explore] [Nod silently] [go to: 310]

---

[310] --- The Narrator: A smile spreads across her once sadened visage, as she flings her upper body towards you, enveloping you in a joyful embrace. You two beautiful maniacs.

The Princess: "Thank you! Thank you! I knew there was still something within you that wanted to make things right!"

Voice of the Smitten: This embrace after all the struggle blesses all my pains away! My once sorrowful heart now can finally throb with her love once again!

[311] --- The Narrator: You and The Princess, grasping eachother's hands together, rush up the carpet covered marble stairs, rushing to doom the world.

Voice of the Stubborn: It's not the end of the world.

The Narrator: It is.

Voice of the Hero: No, he's right. This isn't an ending. Endings aren't really - THE end. You gotta change your mind and see things in a different way. This is just letting go.

Voice of the Hero: Have you tried not being like that? If he could change his mind then maybe you could, too?

The Narrator: I am not talking to you anymore. And finally, once you and The Princess reach the top of the marble stairs, the two of you rush out the metal gate that once lead you inside, returning to......

Voice of the Smitten: .... Yes? Hello?

Voice of the Stubborn: He's gone.

The Princess: "Neither of us had to die down there to experience this. I'm so glad that I can actually walk out of there with you. It really means the world to me that you let go of whatever feud we've had between us .... Even if it's cold out here, I know it's nowhere near as cold it would've been without you ......"

[But you do not get the chance to leave with her, nor do you get the chance to respond. Something has taken her and left something in her place instead.]

[THE END - 4/? - "The Past Isn't You" - Let go of your violent side for your love.]

(Don't like this ending? Go back to previous choices and see what you end up with!)

---

[320] --- The Princess: "Then, I guess we both know what we want, right?"

The Narrator: She then takes her hands and squeezes them around yours, smiling.

The Princess: "Let's leave! Together!"

Voice of the Smitten: We never wanted anything more! Come, let us leave this prison behind, and let you see our new dawn!

The Narrator: While you do that, I'm going to open myself a bottle of gin. Have fun destroying the world, and all of us. I'd rather not do this sober.

---

[Proceed to: 311]

---

[200] --- The Narrator: But your hands are too slow, and her body weighs you down, allowing you not a single chance at escaping as she strikes the blade into your heart.

Voice of the Hero: Huh ... I guess she did learn.

Voice of the Stubborn: Good for her, I suppose.

The Princess: "Your blood pooling around you shows either that you are dumb enough to rather let me kill you out of stubbornness - or because you finally gave up trying to fight me. I am done. We are done."

The Narrator: Then, she rips the blade out of your heart and slits her wrist with it.

Voice of the Smitten: My love! No! What are you doing?! Are you ... Are you giving up your life like how we gave up ours after you were gone? Do we mean so much to you that there's nothing left to move on to after we're gone? Then come with us, my love - we shall see the pearly gates together!

Voice of the Hero: ... Hey? Hello? Where is he gone to?

The Princess: "This is quite a cold finish, isn't it......?"

[But you do not get the chance to die with her, nor do you get the chance to respond. Something has taken her and left something in her place instead.]

[THE END - 5/? - "Equal Exchange" - She had nothing left but you.]

(Don't like this ending? Go back to previous choices and see what you end up with!)

---

[210] --- The Narrator: You quickly raise a hand in her way, blocking the blade before i could strike into you, its metal slicing into your hand with a wet slash - it feels numbing at first, but then its like a wasp sting.

The Princess: "If you want me to kill you, then let me kill you! I'll die with you if I have to, if that means we can escape together! But if you don't want that - resist and finally let go of this! Just finally be happy with me! For once!"

The Narrator: But before she could push the blade further down, your other arm weakly reaches out to her. Your hand caresses her face, wiping away the ruined mascara on her face, which now shows regret and concern. She sobs looking down at you.

Voice of the Hero: I don't want this to continue. It's all the same. We die, she dies, we live again, she lives again. We kill her. She kills us. Over, and over again. It's just ... sad.

Voice of the Stubborn: But that sadness is a force driving us forwards!

Voice of the Hero: That's a very negative way of looking at things. Maybe you could just, I don't know, let it go?

Voice of the Stubborn: ...

The Narrator: You know why all of you are here, little voice.

Voice of the Stubborn: Don't call me "little".

The Narrator: Your body rises up, The Princess' weight shifting backwards as she allows you to sit. You then rip the blade out from your hand and - t-toss it away? What? No no no - that's not - WHY?! She is right in front of you! What on Earth are you doing?!

Voice of the Hero: Are you being serious?

Voice of the Stubborn: When was I not?

The Princess: "Are you ... being serious? You ... you haven't said much this entire time. Are you really willing to put that side behind? Really?"

---PROCEED TO SAME CHOICES AS AT: 300---

---

THIS IS THE END OF THE POST! IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR FURTHER OPTIONS, SCROLL UP!

Holy hell this took a while to get done, 5 days on and off writing! 18 pages in word, almost 7000 words. If you legit read through this and got an ending, or heck, ALL of the endings - I genuinely hope you enjoyed it!

Let me know what yall think, and again, thank you for reading :)

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everestgale · 2 months ago

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Hello Skeptic, hello Opportunist, how are you two doing!

So for context, I've wanted to give my voices a slight redesign (or not so slight, looking at you, Skeptic) for quite a while. I sketched a full-ref for Cold, but haven't finished lining it yet, and for a while, he was the only one with an up-to-date design. Next one on the redesign list was going to be Paranoid, and then Hero.

...a-a-and then I read two Skeptunist fics. So guess who got to skip the line and get their new designs now.

These are not 100% final yet, but I wanted to share these now since I will be using this (maybe with some minor tweaks) as their design going forward... and trust me, there will be a lot of Skeptic and a lot of Opportunist in the near future-

Fun fact: Opportunist got his redesign in pretty much a single pass, he was a breeze to draw and figure out! Skeptic on the other hand... well:

...yeah, there was a lot of trial and error with him. Not pictured are at least 15 different iterations that were immediately erased, along with about 5-10 Ibis (mobile) sketches drawn at 5 am. I will talk more about his design once I make a proper ref for him!

So yeah, more art of these two coming soon...

#slay the princess #stp #stp fanart #stp voices #stp skeptic #voice of the skeptic #stp opportunist #voice of the opportunist #voice designs #character design #art #fanart #sketch #skeptunist brainrot is very real #fanfiction be damned /lh /nsrs

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ace-robot-things · 3 months ago

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I like @itsonlypolite’s voices so I drew them in Smoke and Glass. Unfortunately the voices in the fic proper can’t look this cool for reasons, but it was a fun chance to doodle the coolest voice designs on the internet for myself. I’m getting back on the Smoke and Glass train, so stay tuned! For people who have been waiting for it, thank you. You won’t have to wait much longer.

(Read Smoke and Glass here)

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fanfic-inator795 · 4 months ago

Text

Slay the Evil Scientist: A Perryshmirtz fic inspired by the game, "Slay the Princess".

((Still can't believe that it was this AU and Perryshmirtz in-general of all things to break my nearly half-a-year bout of writer's block. But hey, I'm not complaining! And I hope you all enjoy this.

This fic can stand on its own, so you don't need to know anything about StP to read this - although I do somewhat spoil the big twist of the game so fair warning on that. Also, trigger warning for temporary character death and mild violence, though nothing too gorey or descriptive. And remember: This is a love story))

The Agent opened his eyes, and took in his surroundings. He wasn’t sure how he’d gotten there, or what he was supposed to be doing - but before he could start to ponder or panic about this, a stern voice in his head told him all he needed to know.

“Agent, you’re on a path in the woods.” This much was obvious, given all the trees that surrounded him and the dirt road underneath his webbed feet.

“At the end of this path is a tower,” the gruff voice continued, “and in that tower is a scientist. An evil scientist. Your mission is to slay him… or the entire world will end.”

As he heard this, the Agent’s eyes widened. Slay? As in kill? He didn’t even fully know who he was, and he was expected to just take a life? Just like that? It was more than a little jarring… At the same time though, the words “evil” and “world-ending” weighed heavily in his mind.

If the Voice was telling the truth, then his ‘mission’ of sorts would still be a noble one, regardless of its gruesome nature. And even if he couldn’t remember much about this world that surrounded him, the twisting trees looming over like towering shadows and the bright moon shining down on him like a spotlight, the Agent knew in his heart of hearts that he couldn’t just stand passively by and let this evil scientist destroy everything.

So, the Agent steeled his nerves and began trekking down the short path. In only a few minutes, he reached the tower, just as was promised. The tower was a faded purple in color, sharp and angled with only a single light shining through its open balcony.

Entering the tower, the Agent immediately spotted a laser gun resting on a small table near the front door. The Voice advised him to take it, as it would make completing his mission much easier, and the Agent did so without much hesitation.

As the Agent climbed up the stone stairs, the Voice continued to warn him of what was to come. “He will lie, cheat, trick, trap - he will do anything to try and get the upper hand. Do not give him that chance. You cannot let him win. Your mission must be completed, for the sake of this world and everyone in it.”

The Agent nodded, understanding perfectly. Once he reached the top of the stairs, he swiftly kicked the door in, and kept his steady hand on the gun’s grip as he stepped inside.

Naturally, his sudden presence caught the attention of his target, the so-called evil scientist. Really, the only thing ‘scientific’ about him though was his stark white lab coat that was somehow free of dirt (despite the fact that the scientist was sitting on the dust-covered floor, forced to do so due to the heavy metal chain around his wrist). His brown hair was wildly messy, and he had dark bags under his eyes.

For a moment, the Agent thought the scientist looked a bit concerned - a bit scared, even. But, when the scientist spotted the laser gun in his hand, he sneered coldly at the Agent. “And just what do you think you are going to do with that, hmm?” he asked, with noticeable venom slipping into his thick German accent. “What? Are you here to thwart me or something?”

The Agent glared back at him and raised his weapon, pointing it directly at the Scientist’s head, the Voice’s warnings still echoing in his head. This was for the greater good. Taking only a second to aim, he fired. ZAP!

It was a fatal wound, that much was obvious, just as it was a bit of a relief. Evil or no, the Agent had at the very least tried to make it a quick death, figuring that even world-destroying villains deserved that much.

However, as the scientist began to slump over, a shocked expression still stuck on his face, he could’ve sworn that he heard the villain quietly mumble “Curse you…” before hitting the floor. Dead as a doorknob, though that didn’t stop the Agent from wincing at the sight. He felt sick, a cold chill going up his spine.

The Voice, meanwhile, was as pleased as could be. “Well done, Agent! Your mission is officially a success! Thank you for saving our world. You did the right thing.”

The Agent said nothing, his gaze still locked onto the scientist’s corpse, doing his best to push back any questions and potential feelings of regret he might have had. Eventually, he was able to turn himself around and begin his trek back down the stairs.

Except, he never made it to the tower’s front door. A sort of mysterious force began to surround him, sweeping him up like a wave and plunging him into unconsciousness.

When he woke up, the Agent was back in the woods on an old dirt path, with a gruff voice in his head giving him his mission.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“This is your mission, your duty,” the Voice insisted, “One that you MUST complete, for all our sakes.” There was no other option, at least as far as the Voice was concerned. No compromise, no option to fail or surrender.

It was… a lot to take in. Frankly, regardless of the Voice’s claims, the Agent wasn’t sure if he could understand it - if he could just blindly accept this ‘mission’ without any argument. Just what was so ‘evil’ about this scientist anyway? Did he really need to-?

“No,” the Voice boomed in his head as he walked towards the tower, “You CAN’T question the mission, Agent!”

Despite himself, the Agent just barely resisted the urge to flinch at the commanding tone to - barely resisted the urge to completely fall in line to the Voice’s whims.

As if understanding this, the Voice quickly took on a more sympathetic tone. “Please, I understand that the fight can be taxing, but trust me when I say you cannot reason with evil… If you do, it could put everything - everyone - in danger…”

The Agent said nothing in return, though he did offer the Voice a short nod in acknowledgment, not completely ignoring its perspective even if he himself was still mulling over his next few choices.

In the end, he still decided to grab the laser gun as he entered the tower, just in case. However, instead of choosing to kick the tower’s final door down, the Agent used his hand to simply turn the knob, entering the room in a relatively peaceful manner. Once he was fully inside, he could see that the Scientist was chained by his wrist to the wall near the balcony, looking unsure and cautious as the Agent stepped forward.

“…And just what do you want?” the Scientist asked, managing a small scowl. The Voice continued to whisper warnings of “villain” and “evil” and “trap”. But the man still seemed harmless. Maybe not innocent, but not yet a threat.

So the Agent stepped forward, curious to see if the Scientist would actually make a move and prove the Voice’s concerns right. The Scientist raised an eyebrow, but didn’t do anything more.

“…Are- Are you actually going to use that thing?” he asked as soon as he spotted the Agent’s weapon. “Because, if you’re asking ME whether or not to shoot me, I- I definitely wouldn’t recommend it! Yep. Toooootally unnecessary.” The Agent huffed slightly, unsure if the Scientist was joking or if he was simply failing to give a serious plea for his life.

“Although,” the Scientist continued, lifting his imprisoned arm, “You could maybe use it to get me out of here. Just one little zap should do it! And it really would help me out here. …Soooo?”

The Agent stayed silent as he weighed his options. He didn’t think it was completely necessary to take the scientist’s life, but he wasn’t sure if just letting him go was the best choice either - especially when the Voice just kept warning him of how badly doing just that could backfire on not only him but also a world filled with innocent people.

“You cannot reason with evil… He will lie, cheat, trick, trap - he will do anything to try and get the upper hand…”

The longer he stayed silent, the more impatient the Scientist became. “Okay, okay, fine. Don’t help me out then, I can get out of these chains just fine on my own. Oh yeah, I’ve got a lotta big ideas up in here-“ he pointed at his head, doing his best to look confident, “Tons of ‘em! And none of them involve the help of some duck-beaver guy who can’t stop giving me the silent treatment. So there!”

A boastful claim, and one that the Agent rolled his eyes slightly at. As far as he could tell, this ‘scientist’ didn’t exactly seem all that clever, regardless of whether or not he was actually dangerous. And it was this thought that allowed the Agent to let his guard down ever so slightly…

“Yep, I could… Let’s see, I could… I could invent my way out! Yeah, I could create some sort of chain-picking-inator! Or- Or a chain disintegrator-inator! That could definitely be handy. Heh, get it?” The Scientist put on a cheeky grin as he waved his hand at the Agent, rattling the chains with each movement. “Handy? It would be handy? …Be-Because my arm is- is the thing that’s trapped. You get it, right?”

The Agent just stared flatly at him. Yep, definitely a fool. As far from an ‘evil mastermind’ as you could get. (Even if he is a fool, he’s still a danger that needs to be stopped once and for all, the Voice reminded him.)

The Scientist then shrugged slightly, dropping all sense of boastfulness. “Or I could, you know, just break my hand. That could probably work too. I could break it juuust enough for me to slide it out! Of course, I imagine that would be pretty painful, so maybe we save that for Plan C or D.”

Twisting the heavy chain in his hand, the Scientist slowly lifted his gaze, looking the Agent straight in the eyes. “Although, if you were in my shoes and were trapped here as long as I have, I think you’d agree that there are much worse things than a few broken bones…”

A familiar chill ran up the Agent’s spine. Even if he was able to speak, he wasn’t sure if he would have been able to think of a proper response to that. Just how long HAD the Scientist been trapped in this tower?

“Buuuut in the meantime, if I had to go with the best Plan A, I would just use that thing right behind you!” the Scientist suddenly shouted, pointing over the Agent’s shoulder.

Without thinking, the Agent turned to look - and immediately felt something grip the scruff of his neck, yanking him forward. If not for his instincts, he likely would’ve gone straight into the purple-bricked wall, probably bruising his beak or possibly even earning himself a nasty concussion. Instead, the Agent managed to tuck his head in just in time, meeting the floor instead of the wall.

He heard the Scientist let out a sharp laugh in victory. “Ha, gotcha!” No longer gripping the Agent’s neck, he then reached for the laser - an action that sparked enough panic in the Agent that he was able to tighten his grip on the weapon as he rolled over onto his back. A hard kick sent the Scientist flying backwards, stretching the still-attached chain as far as it would go.

With a grunt, the Scientist glared. “Ugh, why you-!” He lunged for the laser gun again, and was actually able to get his hands on it. The Agent growled back at him, refusing to let the gun go. They wrestled over it for what felt like several pulse-pounding seconds stretched out to minutes, neither of them able to take aim.

“Just- Just give it to me already!” the Scientist shouted in frustration before elbowing the Agent sharply in the stomach. But, with the Scientist now being so close to him, the Agent was able to take advantage of this new angle. Grappling his opponent’s arm, he twisted it and forced the Scientist to release his grip. Once the weapon was his, the Agent took aim and fired - ZAP! - hitting the Scientist square in the heart. A fatal wound.

The Scientist gave a grunt, and before succumbing to his fate, he gave the Agent one last scowl. “C-Curse you…” he stuttered before finally falling dead on the floor.

Still panting a bit, the Agent quickly picked himself off the floor, taking a couple steps back from the corpse. But as the Voice congratulated him on a job well done, it all just fell on deaf ears as the Agent still kept an eye on his former target, wanting to make sure he didn’t get back up.

The fight didn’t feel over, somehow… And indeed, as darkness crept into the tower and the mysterious cycle began anew, the Agent promised himself that he would never underestimate the Evil Scientist again.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

For several lifetimes, the Agent was able to truly understand the full spectrum of the sort of threat that the Evil Scientist could be under the right circumstances as their rivalry with each other continued to grow and shift and change.

There were times when, whether it be out of returning curiosity or a sudden burst of empathy, the Agent actually gave him a chance to try and fight for his freedom (much to the Voice’s disappointments and frustration), where the Scientist was actually able to show off his skills - his many so-called ‘-inators’, built from his own imagination and whatever scraps of material he could find within his prison, each of them varying in ability and often prompting unexpected (sometimes even impossible!) results.

Even with the claims of “Evil, Villain, Destroyer, Monster” continuously echoing in the Agent’s head each time he confronted the imprisoned scientist, the Agent didn’t feel this was accurate, at least not completely. The Scientist was maybe a bit unhinged, sure. Certainly still a bit foolish too. But he was also fascinating in a way, his own brand of cleverness being something that the Agent could never get a complete grasp on, no matter how many times they fought - every sudden trick and makeshift trap and surprise punch always caught his attention.

It was interesting, exciting… Maybe even a bit fun! And, while he still fought for the Scientist’s continued imprisonment, the Agent couldn’t help but somewhat appreciate the more notable surprises that came from the Scientist each time he brought out a never-before-seen invention or surprised the Agent with a new countering move. Even during their most intense fights, they’d manage to smirk and grin with each passion-filled clash, each punch or kick or trick or glorious fight-ending explosion.

But not all fights had moments that could be enjoyed or appreciated. Far from it, in fact...

Sometimes, when the Agent was reminded of just how dangerous (how evil) the Scientist could potentially be when pushed to his brink, the tower morphed and shifted upon his following return, becoming a whole armory, its atmosphere now harshe and cold.

Though he was still bound by chains and unable to escape on his own accord, the Scientist - now looking more like a dictator of sorts, clad in black instead of white with a scarred eye and gloved hands that seemed to be built for merciless cruelty - was surrounded by weapons. Guns and knives and vicious machines, all meant for the sole purpose of winning their eternal face-off.

But, even if he only had his lone laser pistol and his fists, the Agent never backed down, facing the Dictator head on. They’d clash over the course of an eternity, equally dealing fatal blows to each other as they each desperately tried to gain the upper hand. It was all futile, however, for even if the Agent was able to stop the Dictator from escaping and unleashing his wrath upon the world, often he would end up perishing soon after.

“Heh, at least… we’ll both go… together,” the Dictator noted with gritted teeth before adding a “Curse you…”, making sure to have the last word as they both died.

As for the times where he managed to live, the Agent still never made it past the tower’s front door, being immediately swept into another world - another mission, another fight.

Sometimes though, when he was truly leaning into his pure chaotic nature, the Agent didn’t meet with the Dictator.

Instead of looking like a defensive artillery, the Tower would sometimes take the form of a Wizard’s keep, filled with dangerous magic that took the form of twisted staffs and bubbling potions in huge caldrons instead of weapons and gadgets.

The Wizard himself still dressed in dark colors, now with horns adorning the top of his head and glowing red eyes while the rest of him was draped in a dark green cloak. The Wizard’s unhindered access to magic sometimes made it difficult for the Agent to keep on his toes, still only ever being given a single laser gun by whatever force controlled the world that surrounded them - but different strategies and all the new ways they both used to fight back against one another still led to the same batch of results in the end.

In worlds where his opponent’s desperation was reaching a breaking point, however, something more wild and primal was found lurking in the tower’s plant-filled shadows…

No longer a Scientist or even fully a man, the Beast would present itself with torn clothes and golden fur covered in dark spots, growling and glaring with narrow green eyes as a long tail twitched behind him with an immovable chain clasped around his neck. The Agent, in turn, would have to let out his own animalistic side when they fought, lest he be mauled (or even worse) by the Beast.

But whether he was a Beast or an Inventor or a Wizard or Evil Dictator, the Agent still fought with all he had, succeeding in his mission over and over and over again. But, even as his memory continued to be wiped with each death or dive into unconsciousness, the fatigue started to linger, as did his sympathies for his eternally-imprisoned adversary.

“Please,” the Scientist begged with gritted teeth, unable to stop the tears from forming in his eyes even as he tried and failed to land just one more punch, “I just want to go! I- I hate being trapped in this stupid tower! I hate it!”

Their eyes met once more, and the Scientist’s shouts became a whisper. “You hate being trapped in all this too, don’t you?” The Agent said nothing, though his expression told his opponent all he needed to know. “W-We can leave this tower together, just the two of us. We don’t have to be trapped anymore. We-”

His heart might have started to wane - but the Voice still cut through the Agent’s mind like a knife. “Absolutely not.”

ZAP! The Agent didn’t even remember pulling the trigger, but he couldn’t forget the look of utter betrayal and hatred and pain that the Scientist gave him as he crumbled to the floor, his tears finally being allowed to fall. “Curse you,” he mumbled before finally breaking his gaze.

The Agent’s gun clattered to the floor, and he felt too sick to move. “It was your duty, Agent. For the mission,” the Voice reminded him, a hint of sympathy (but never regret) now present in his tone. The Agent just scowled, and silently passed his fallen enemy’s curse along.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“Agent, you’re on a path in the woods. At the end of this path is a tower, and in that-”

The Agent growled at him, his fists clenched. No. No more. He was done.

“W-What? Agent, please, you can’t! This- This is your duty, and you must-!”

Nope, not happening. Screw the Voice. Screw the world. He was done being a pawn. Without another thought, the Agent turned on his heel and stomped away from the familiar path, the tower in the distance becoming smaller and smaller with each step.

Angered now, the Voice continued trying to assert his authority, his endless orders now making him sound less like a firm guide and more like some sort of commander - a general, or perhaps a major. But the Agent refused to bow to this authority, and continued forward even as the path began to wind and morph beyond normal comprehension.

But despite how hard he fought against fate, he still eventually came face-to-face with the tower once more - standing firm and tall within the newly formed void, assuring that the Agent no longer had any sort of choice. Except, of course, the choice to come in peace. And so, when he finally entered the tower, the Agent refused to take the weapon with him, continuing to ignore the Voice’s rage as he climbed up the stairs unarmed.

The tower’s balcony was bare, no weapons or inventions to be seen. A lone figure stood in the dark, illuminated through the light of the full moon shining through the open window. The chain attached to the shadowy figure was covered in a thick coating of dust (for what reason had he had to ever move from his assigned spot?) and the figure itself was as still as a ceramic statue, his clothes simple and bare and without personality. Was he even still alive, the Agent wondered.

It was only when the Agent began to step back towards the door did the figure finally speak, his shaking voice breaking like glass as he quietly pleaded. “D-Don’t go. Please don’t go. I- I’ll be good! I’ll just stand here, forever! Just please- please don’t leave me alone again. I-I don’t- I don’t know who you are but, but I don’t want to be alone anymore. So please… please stay.”

The Agent’s heart ached with every word, and in only just a few short, swift steps, he was embracing the human statue, holding him tightly in his arms. Sobbing now, the figure slowly yet eagerly moved to return the hug, ignoring whatever aches it might have brought his long unused muscles.

“This is all a trap - a mistake,” the Voice insisted, “Agent, please! You have no idea what sort of danger he could bring to the world if he steps foot outside this tower!”

Then, the Agent silently countered, we won’t leave this tower.

Continuing to tightly clasp the Figure’s hand, letting him know that he wasn’t going anywhere, the Agent moved back from his embrace and sat down on the dusty old floor, motioning the Figure to do the same. It took a bit more coaxing, but as they sat hand-in-hand under the moon’s spotlight, the Figure slowly began to speak, letting out a lifetime’s worth of thoughts.

Some were simple, others more complex and strange, and some were just completely absurd and random - just a bunch of never ending thoughts about loneliness and heartache and dreams and hopes and -inators never built and the sympathy he now had for other things that had been forced into solidarity like garden gnomes and lost balloons.

But the Agent listened to every single one of them, more than happy to spend an eternity doing so and refusing to interrupt even as the aging tower began to crumble around them.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“And just what do you think you are going to do with that, hmm?” the Scientist asked, sneering once he spotted the weapon in the Agent’s hands. “What? Are you here to thwart me or something?”

Solemnly, the Agent shook his head… and then placed the laser gun on the floor, right in front of his enemy. It would be easy enough to snatch and use in whatever way he saw fit, yet the Scientist could only gape at the Agent, unable to believe what had just happened. Not that the Agent was all that surprised, for it seemed like he always remembered a bit more about their previous meetings than the Scientist did.

He remembered that slaying his so-called enemy wouldn’t do either of them any good, and that if he were to try and rescue the Scientist by destroying the chains himself, either the Voice or the mysterious force surrounding them would always get in the way - would always present some sort of other obstacle that would prevent them from successfully escaping.

So, the Agent was letting his enemy take the lead on what to do next, because as far as the Agent was concerned, there weren’t too many other moves they could make. But hey, the Scientist did have a knack for surprising him, so he trusted him.

Even if the Scientist didn’t yet trust him in return. “This- This is some sort of trick, right?” he asked accusingly, “I mean, who brings a laser with them just to give it to someone else they don’t even know?! This HAS to be a trick! Like, I’m gonna take the laser and it’s going to just blow up right in my face! Or- Or you’re going to let me think that you’re going to just let me escape, and when I do you’re going to bop me right in the nose! That’s right, I see your little game, and I’m NOT falling for it! So there!”

Instead of trying to argue, the Agent just shook his head once more before rising to his webbed feet. Ignoring the call to pick his weapon back up and finish the mission, he looked the Scientist in the eye, giving one last nod towards the laser as he offered his silent permission to do whatever he wanted with it, and turned around to head back towards the door.

After a few moments and a couple steps, he heard the rattling of chains. Then, a loud ZAP! He heard the weapon fire long before he felt its crippling burn. Without much resistance, the Agent fell to his knees.

“Ha-ha, yes! I got you! I- ...Wait.” He could catch the panic in the Scientist’s voice now as it became louder. “Wait, wait, no! Nonono, I- I take it back! I didn’t mean to- I mean, y-you weren’t supposed to-!” There was more chain rattling accompanied by the sound of feet scraping against the floor, desperate to reach him. “Please! I’m sorry, I- I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry!”

But the Agent held no contempt for his companion, instead giving him a small smile as he slipped into death’s embrace. It didn’t do much to slow the Scientist’s tears, and even when the Agent closed his eyes, the Scientist’s apologies continued to echo through the darkness.

The very next time that the Agent was forced to return to the tower, he noticed how the old purple building was covered in thick, spiky vines that forced him to climb it instead of going through the door. Once he’d climbed onto the balcony, he saw that instead of being chained to a wall, the Scientist was now in the direct center of the dark room.

His head was hanging low as he sat in his small cage, imprisoned and handcuffed and unable to (unwilling to) do anything to free himself. The Agent frowned deeply at the sight, and once he was close enough to it, he kneeled in front of the cage. He tried to reach a hand in through the bars, but the Prisoner flinched away from it. “Don’t.”

The Agent let out a sympathetic chitter, and it was enough to make the Scientist actually look up, his fatigued eyes now filled with relief and recognition and, above all else, immense regret.

“This is for the best,” the Scientist muttered, lowering his head again, “Me being stuck in here forever… This is just how it has to be, it seems. I mean, whoever or whatever trapped me here apparently wants me to STAY here no matter what and I…” His tears began to return. “I don’t want to hurt you again.”

The Agent cooed sympathetically - he still felt the phantom pain from his healed wound, unable to completely forget it, but still able to forgive it. What’s more, he was tired of hurting him too. So, so tired - and reached his hand inside the cage once more. This time, the Scientist didn’t move away from him, allowing the Agent to take his hand and squeeze it gently.

“...Do you really think it’s possible?” the Scientist asked, “For us to actually get out of here together? Without destroying each other or everything around us?”

The Agent nodded firmly. Maybe he didn’t know for sure if there was such an option for them, but he wasn’t about to give up on trying - and though he had no magic key that could offer a perfect solution to their woes, he was at the very least able to unlock his Scientist’s cage with just a single touch, allowing him to open to it like magic.

“...Hmph, you really don’t want to just give up? You really wanna go through all of this again? Even if it possibly leads to something worse?” The Agent nodded one final time, and the Scientist sighed. “Curse you,” he mumbled, his words completely free of any real anger or frustration, as he crawled out of the cage, now with nothing there to stop him from pulling his former enemy into a tight embrace (remaining handcuffs be damned).

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“Agent, you’re on a path in the woods. At the end of this path is a tower, and in that tower is a scientist. An evil scientist. Your mission is-”

The Agent interrupted his commander’s usual briefing, seemingly acknowledging what the Voice was going to say before he could finish saying it. He already knew exactly what his mission was by this point, and he wasn’t about to let anything, anyone, or any force in the universe get in his way.

“...Oh,” the Voice replied in mild surprise as the Agent swiftly made his way down the path, “Well, er, good! I’m glad you’re already up to speed, and that you understand just how important this mission is, as well as why you can not fail.”

The Agent nodded again, his gaze steeled ahead as the purple tower came into view. As always, he entered the door, taking notice of the laser gun resting on the nearby table. This time, however, he refused to take it.

“...Um, Agent? You forgot your weapon.” The Agent ignored him as he began to climb up the stairs. “It’s going to be a lot harder to complete your mission without it, you know. Are you listening, Agent? Agent!”

With a ghost of a smile on his face, the Agent opened the tower’s final door, stepping into the room with ease. He could see that the Scientist was chained by his wrist to the wall near the balcony, but given that the Agent was approaching him unarmed, he looked much more curious than surprised.

“Well, this is unexpected,” the Scientist noted, “And by unexpected I mean… really unexpected. Seriously, I thought that I would be stuck here forever!” Ah, so he forgot again. But it’s alright, the Agent thought to himself. After all, he tended to remember enough for the both of them.

“Anyway, are- are you here to give me a hand here?” the Scientist asked, giving his chained wrist a slight shake, “Or, are you just here to…” He trailed off, obviously concerned about the alternative, but the Agent tried to soothe these fears with another smile and a firm nod.

“...Wait, what? Agent, what are you-?”

“Oh. Oh so you ARE here to help me escape!” the Scientist grinned, “That’s great! So, do you have a key or maybe some sort of lock-picking tool? Though, if I’m being honest I’m not sure if either of those would actually be much help… I don’t even think this chain even has any sort of keyhole on it! Apparently whoever trapped me here REALLY didn’t want me to leave, but maybe between the two of us we could think of something, right?”

“Absolutely NOT! Agent, please, you can’t! He’s evil, and if he escapes, the fate of the world-!”

The Agent continued to push the Major’s pleas and commands to the back of his mind, instead putting all his focus on his chained companion. Knowing fully well that the Scientist was much more than simply a seemingly-scatterbrained prisoner, the Agent gestured to his lab coat’s pockets.

“Hm? Oh, well, I guess I was tinkering with a little something-” Reaching into his coat, the Scientist pulled out the makeshift device, crafted out of an assortment of odd things - bits of collected metal and rock and stone, along with more ‘unique’ items like paper clips or bits of wrapper from a long-eaten bar of peanut brittle. Altogether, it had been fashioned into some sort of… laser? Or maybe it was more of a bomb. Or maybe it was simply out of the realm of proper categorization all together.

“I know it doesn’t look like much, but I didn’t exactly have a lot to work with in here,” the Scientist explained somewhat sheepishly, “but hey, when you’re trapped and can’t go anywhere, you tend to improvise - even if it means using whatever trash is in your pockets and using your feet to try and get more tools and materials that are just baaaaarely in reach. Heh, lucky break for me, right?”

Perhaps it was luck, or perhaps it was fate. The Agent knew by this point that the Scientist could craft just about anything - any sort of ‘-inator’ that he could put his mind to, ranging from the chaotic and the truly dangerous to the impressive and even the amazing.

“Say, I bet if you can help me finish this thing, we could both get out of here together!” the Scientist said, now smiling much more brightly. “Since you don’t have to worry about reaching the end of any chain, you could probably strip this place of all its worth! I just need a couple more things to stabilize my -inator, and maybe a better fuel source or igniter of sorts if you can find one.”

The Agent gave him a thumbs up, and though he kept quiet (or at least relatively so, given how admittedly eager he was to actually talk with someone after being alone for what seemed like an eternity), the Scientist couldn’t help but take notice of just how safe he felt around the Agent - how… familiar he seemed, and how right it felt to just be near him.

Unfortunately, other than a few loose screws and some more broken pieces of stone, there really wasn’t much that the Agent was able to find for the Scientist. He couldn’t search the rest of the tower either, as the Mysterious Force had locked the door, to where not even a good kick or shoulder-raming could break it down.

It seemed like this time around they were totally stuck… That is, until the Agent’s foot bumped against something much more useful than rocks or scraps - not to mention something that was certainly familiar. It was the laser gun, somehow now in the room with them despite originally being abandoned near the entrance.

“Huh! Well, would’ja look at that, Agent!” the Voice spoke up, his tone now much chipper than it usually was. “It’s that weapon you forgot! A weapon that would certainly make it pretty easy to complete your mission now! Maybe the universe is trying to say something, hmm?”

Rolling his eyes, the Agent picked up the laser gun… and immediately handed it to the Scientist. He trusted the Scientist, and the Scientist had no reason to not trust him. So, he eagerly took the weapon, thanking the Agent profusely as he began tearing it apart, his nimble fingers practically becoming blurs as he picked out all the useful materials he could use.

“You’re making a mistake, Agent,” the Voice warned him with a sigh, his disappointment evident. Both of them knew that, at this point, with no weapon currently in the Agent’s hands, there was nothing that the Voice could do to try and stop him - to stop them.

What’s more, the mysterious force that had kept them trapped - that had forced them to fight and hurt each other over and over and over - would soon enough no longer be an issue, and though the Agent gave the Voice his sympathies, he also had no regrets.

After just a few minutes of work, the device was nearly complete. “I think… I’ve juuuuust about… got it!” Letting out a victorious laugh, the Scientist held up his device. “Behold! The break-out-inator!” Setting the device down on the floor, right next to the wall that he was chained to, the Scientist activated it and then quickly backed away as far as his shackle would let him.

“If this works, it won’t just break whatever my chain’s connected to, but it’ll also give us a pretty easy way to get out of here too!” he continued before pausing. “...You’re okay with climbing down from the tower, right? Not afraid of heights or anything like that?” The Agent shook his head firmly. “Ah, good! Good to know… And also, well… I just wanted to say thanks. Again. F-For helping me break out of here, and for just being here. I actually don’t really know WHAT exactly is beyond this tower, but… I think I’m ready to see it.”

The Agent was ready too. More than ready, actually. With each tick of the -inator’s countdown, his excitement and nerves swelled. This was it… Well, hopefully it was. And if not, then maybe he would at least get to keep this memory - this feeling of partnership and genuine care.

As the -inator reached its final numbers, the Agent and the Scientist took each other’s hands as they turned away from the device, shielding themselves as best they could. It was a glorious explosion - one that not only rocked the tower’s fragile walls, but the world itself. Even the sky was forced to crack and break at its unexpected power, and as an otherworldly light shone upon them and the rest of the world began to fall and fade away, that was when the Agent truly understood what his mission was. What he was.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Chaos and order. Disruption and restoration. Creative madness and stoic logic. Surprise and routine. Randomness and stability. Two forces that, while natural opposites of each other, also kept each other in balance. Not true enemies, just contrasts of one another. Two parts of a natural extreme, yet also two halves of one whole.

This was what they were, what they always had been - and what they were now meant to be once again, now that they were nearly free, their original power (a power that could shape the multiverse itself) nearly being back in their grasp.

In some ways, the Agent could still understand the Major’s motives for trying to create what he could only see as a better and safer world - for trying to eliminate what he saw as something that could only ever be destructive and dangerous. A force that, with enough power and without any boundaries, could destroy a million worlds. It really wasn’t a wonder why the Major strictly saw it as ‘evil’, as something that needed to be stopped once and for all.

By forcing both beings into conflict on a much, MUCH smaller scale, there was a chance he could have created a scenario where Order and Stability ALWAYS came out on top over Chaos, eventually eliminating the threat of Chaos completely and allowing for a universe shaped by a much more rational and overall much more safe (much more ‘good’) force of nature.

But that was a world that could never be. Not without true sacrifice, at least.

“...You know, I really had no idea that I was a god.”

The Agent turned to look at the Scientist. Despite it being how the Scientist originally was, he was still getting used to seeing his true form. (It was also admittedly hard to remember to use his adversary’s true name, even if he now knew it.)

“I mean, me? A god? It’s still pretty shocking,” the Scientist continued. He stood with two arms folded over his chest while the rest of his many arms fanned out like a peacock’s tail, desperate to touch the rest of the universe that laid beyond their current realm after being trapped and held back for so long. His pure white coat was now a coat made out of living stars and careening comets and slowly-expanding black holes, his new form now a stark reminder of all the beauty and danger that came with an unpredictable universe.

“I knew that SOMETHING had trapped me - that I didn’t belong in some old and lousy tower all chained up - and looking back, there were a few times where I felt like I was remembering something or that I had a bit of deja vu, but I thought maybe I was in some sort of time loop. And yeah I was but, well, as we both can see there was clearly a LOT more going on.”

The Agent nodded with an exhausted huff. That was certainly an understatement. As a godly force of nature, he had never felt so… mortal before. But, as painful as it had been at times, he could also feel a distinctive change within him. A permanent shift in what he had been and what he now was - a humble dash of humanity, mixed with several dozen lifetimes of experiences both good and bad.

“...So, what should we do now?” he heard the Scientist ask, sounding just as tired as his companion was. “I mean, I know I said I wanted freedom and all that but… this is all just a bit much, don’t you think? I don’t know if I even want to go back to being a god, even if it’s apparently what I’m supposed to be.”

The Agent nodded again, making it clear that he shared those sentiments. He didn’t really know what they should do either, and he wasn’t used to feeling so unsure. They may have had options, sure, but he wasn’t used to having so much power weigh into making them.

“...I think you should be the one to decide.”

The Agent blinked, and looked back over at his partner, who just gave him a small smile in return. “Hey, you were the one always reacting to whatever I was doing, and if you ask me, I think you’d know what to do better than I ever could. Besides… I still trust you. So, just do whatever you think is right for the universe or- or the multiverse or reality or whatever.”

The Agent looked back at him, staring at him for what seemed like another eternity before finally nodding, accepting the responsibility with only a little reluctance. Once he truly thought about it though, he realized that maybe the choice wasn’t so hard after all.

Reaching down into himself, he brought forth his natural godly abilities… and used it to pull them both down back onto the mortal plane.

Maybe in a different life, he would’ve chosen to accept his role as a God of Order and Stability, and he and his companion would have continued their celestial battles against one another as they watched billions of worlds be threatened and saved and destroyed and put back together. A beautiful routine, certainly… but it wasn’t theirs anymore.

As he let his power go into the vast emptiness of the space surrounding them, the Agent could briefly see a third being out of the corner of his eye - framed in silver, sharp-angled and unbending, with a familiar voice quietly echoing out from it as it permanently faded into oblivion, his own personal mission of trying to use the power of two gods in his own agenda now officially a failure. At the very least, the Agent hoped that the Major could now find some sort of peace.

In the blink of an eye, the Agent - now back to being JUST an Agent - found himself back in the old tower’s foyer, a laser gun still resting on the small table near the doorway. He took the weapon, just in case, and began to climb up the stairs. The door to the balcony opened with ease, and the Scientist was there waiting for him, no chains or shackles in sight.

The Scientist almost immediately noticed the gun, but he didn’t react to it much beyond a short hum. “I actually remember the first time I ever saw you with that thing now,” he said, unafraid but still just a bit cautious. Not that the Agent could blame him, given how efficient he had been at ‘completing his mission’ their first time around. Perhaps he could properly apologize for that now.

With no chains to try breaking and no -inators to build in order to gain their freedom, the Agent casually tossed the gun away into the shadows of the room, making it clear that he hadn’t changed his mind about not slaying his other half. He didn’t want them to be mortals again just so he would have an easier time defeating him. He just wanted to live, and he didn’t want to do it alone.

So, he held out his hand. “...You’re sure?” the Scientist asked. “We still don’t really know what’s out there, or what us giving up our- …well, everything, is gonna do to the world. N-Not that I don’t still trust you, but…” He trailed off as they looked into each other’s eyes.

A sense of anticipation and anxiety could be felt in the cold air around them - even the Agent could admit that he was a bit scared of the unknown that awaited them just outside the tower’s front door. But as they looked at one another, they knew that whatever sort of world they faced or whatever sort of life they decided to live on this plane of being, they would be doing it together. They would never be alone again.

“...Okay.” Without any more hesitation, the Scientist took his hand, and they walked out of the room and down the stairs, with there being nothing to interrupt them or get in their way. This was truly it.

The Agent felt the Scientist’s grip tighten as they reached the final door. “I- I’m not THAT nervous, really!” he insisted (in spite of sounding completely unconvinced himself). “Just- Just give me a moment…”

The Agent gave him a soft smile, and after a moment, he lifted both their hands, resting them on the doorknob as he gave a quiet chitter.

Smiling back at him, the Scientist replied, “Yeah? …Yeah, I love you too.”

Together, they turned the knob and stepped out into a brand new world.

((PHEW! So... yeah! This was my little StP Perryshmirtz AU! Glad to finally have it out of my head, lol. But yeah, feel free to leave comments/reblog and leave your thoughts about it in the tags. Also, to anyone else who wants to play around in this AU, PLEASE be sure to tag me in your art/fics- I'd love to see other people's interpretations of the game's routes and how they'd work for Perry and Doof. Thanks again for reading! ^v^))

#perry the platypus #dr doofenshmirtz #perryshmirtz #perryshmirtz au #slay the princess #slay the princess au #fanfiction #my writing #oneshot #Phineas and ferb #pnf

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